


The Ruins of Baatu

by acf151



Series: Order Falling [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 08:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22354651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acf151/pseuds/acf151
Summary: After his adventures in the Emperor's service, and his adventures after his escape, Cal has rejoined the First Order.
Series: Order Falling [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1593052
Kudos: 7





	The Ruins of Baatu

**Author's Note:**

> I'm tired, and there's a real possibility I'm not going to be able to finish these stories. So here's the incomplete pieces. If I can, I'll add to them.
> 
> Inspiration Art:  
https://cheapbourbon.tumblr.com/post/188441367554/was-talking-today-over-on-my-twitter-about-cal  
https://cheapbourbon.tumblr.com/post/187720907784/hey-little-fella-cal-working-his-disney

"Vi, Vi!" There's a star destroyer in orbit!" Since Archex's death, Pook had taken to monitoring their scanners and comms equipment while the rest of them were at work, either in Oga's cantina or Savi's Scrapyard. Something of this importance, he risked sending a tightly encrypted transmission to Vi Moradi, while she was at work. 

"What?! But the message, it said that there was no Resistance presence on Batuu, and no reason to send a garrison." No, please, don't let Archex have died for nothing. If the First Order razed the settlement or established a garrison, they would have to watch carefully and prepare to move. "Start moving our supplies and vehicles under cover in the ruins. We have to make certain they can't spot us from orbit." 

"Already done, Star-. Sir. The star destroyer Devastator was last reported to be in First Order hands. Our reports say that it is part of the group assigned to the Finalizer." 

"Have they sent a shuttle?"

"Yes, three left ten minutes ago, two are more mobile habitation units, and one's a standard landing craft that's headed for the spaceport. It's not clear yet where the MHUs are going, but it looks like they may be intending to stay." 

"Okay, I'm going to head back to my shift and see if anyone has seen anything, and make sure Kriki and Zane know to keep their eyes and ears open. Oga might appreciate a heads up, if she doesn't already know." Moving quickly, Vi put a quick word in Kriki's ear, and headed for the cantina.  
News of the new arrivals spread like wildfire. Oga appreciated having her information confirmed, and Zane knew to keep a close eye on anything he heard in the cantina while on shift.

It wasn't quite like last time, though. Salju hadn't seen any one from the First Order at her filling station, and no one was clear on where the shuttle had come down. The initial trajectory had suggested the spaceport, but it hadn't arrived. 

Given how the last set of FO lunks had behaved, at least this time, she didn't have to convince anyone that they were trouble. 

***

Armitage Hux strode off the shuttle with a determined pace. The First Order was reestablishing a token presence on Batuu, just to discourage any Resistance faction from digging in. After the accident that destroyed the last First Order unit, it would not do for the locals to think that the First Order was weak or incompetent. 

A platoon of troopers followed him off the shuttle, and between that and the forty troopers in the MHUs, they quickly began setting their new headquarters to rights. 

The clearing Kath had found for the last settlement had a defensible enough position and running water enough so they wouldn't have to depend on MHU stores entirely. It would increase the survivability of the outpost and embed First Order influence just a little bit more firmly in this sector. 

That was the primary mission handled. Captain Farquar could expand all of that, as he would remain in command of the outpost after Hux and his team left.

Hux was here to oversee a different mission. Field testing the loyalty of his indoctrinated Jedi.  
Prior to his death, Snoke had sent the Jedi Cal Kestis on a secure courier mission, and temporarily assigned him to one of the projects he had handled personally. 

Whatever had actually happened on that mission was enough to break down the initial indoctrination success, and resulted in Kestis being missing in action for six weeks before he walked into a First Order outpost on Whistnal, and turned himself in. There was no sign of the shuttle he'd left on and no sign of the six troopers that had shadowed him since he'd been unfrozen from the carbonite. 

Kestis was put through interrogation and re-indoctrination immediately, under the late General Brendol Hux's programming routines customized by the psytech division, as well as the physical protocols that Cardinal had refined prior to his defection and death. Strangely, though, Kestis had no memory of the preceding six weeks, or anything after his departure for the mission. It wasn't clear if the memory gap was permanent or a holdover side effect from his time in carbonite. Emotionally he had been withdrawn, demoralized and exhausted. 

While medically, he was whole, a complete physical workup showed that several of his bones had been broken and subsequently treated, and possibly at least one concussion. A vari-colored bruise marred most of his upper back, between his shoulder blades, the layers of black, green and yellow colors a sign that whatever the cause, it had been done repeatedly.

Now Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren, suspicious as ever of this strange relic of the Old Jedi Order, took the time to do a full scan of the Jedi's mind, but he had found nothing of that time, or even how he'd gotten to Whistnal. Ren had returned from the interrogation chamber oddly pleased, for all the lack of answers and had assured Hux that there would be no need to execute or refreeze Kestis, so long as his loyalty to the First Order could be reestablished and cemented. 

After three weeks of a full round of nightly subliminal programming, morning and evening morale sessions, and carefully observed and controlled group training sessions on weapons and combat routines, Hux had stopped being seriously concerned that he would have to order Kestis refrozen. Today was going to be another field test of his ability to interact with a civilian population and return in one piece. He'd done well on other worlds, even going so far as to conduct minor scout and search missions under carefully controlled conditions and heavily monitored by a fresh squad of troopers. 

Kestis wasn't happy about the troopers. He didn't quite disobey orders - his programming had focused heavily on the importance of obeying orders and remaining loyal to the First Order in all circumstances - but a tension in his shoulders showcased how uncomfortable he was to anyone familiar with Kestis' demeanor when relaxed. 

Kestis and his troopers had followed him off the shuttle. The troopers were standing around uneasily, while Kestis wandered around the perimeter of the camp, a look of wonder shining in his eyes. Hux approached from behind him. The jedi heard him, but it took a moment for him to break off from the wonder of the foliage, and focus his attention on his commanding officer.  
“General, I know we were supposed to scout out the town, and I will, but do you mind if I scout out the immediate area around the camp?” His voice was eager, anticipatory. 

Hux hadn’t seen anything that close to curiosity in Kestis’ eyes since before his mission for Snoke. He looked towards the trees again. Still moist, dark, untidy, vermin infested plants. Well, Hux did have some things he could do and plan with Captain Farquar while the jedi scouted. He could permit this. “Very well. Be back within three hours and we’ll make our presence known in the town.”


End file.
